


Lifesavers

by xshipsetsailx



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Klance Week, Lifesavers, M/M, Students, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-02-16 21:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13062285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xshipsetsailx/pseuds/xshipsetsailx
Summary: •A little hard candy rolled around in his mouth as Lance ran his tongue across his teeth.  Keith raised an eyebrow.  "Lifesaver?" The dark haired boy accepted the offer with a ghost of a smile, his slim, pale fingers plucking a red one out of the pack and popping it into his own mouth.  "Back to work, McClain."••"You're bleeding.""I'm fine." Lance chuckled and wiped the drops off his face, mixing the salt of his blood and tears on his skin.  Keith sighed. "No, you're not.  Come on, I'll clean you up." Lance bit his lip, looking down. "Hey, hey.  It's okay now.  You want a lifesaver?"••The black distracted Lance. The depressing color caught his eye no matter where he looked, but it was better than looking at the small coffin in front of him. Tears welled up behind his eyes. He bit his lip and clenched his fists together, squeezing his eyes shut. When he relaxed, the dark haired boy next to him comfortingly pressed something into his hand. A candy- a lifesaver. He put it in his mouth and took Keith's hand.••"You really are a life saver." Lance chuckled through his tears. "Don't joke like that." Keith muttered, frowning. Lance choked, and coughed wetly, then spoke in a shaky voice."Thank you."•





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> HHHNNGGG THAnKS For REadInG mY STory

"Lance!"  
The brown haired teen glanced over his shoulder, then noticing the expression on his professors face, shooed his friends out of the classroom, telling them that he would be right there. "Yeah?" He turned back to the desk.  
"Lance, I want you to know that I don't blame you- I know you're working very hard." Lances eyes shifted. "But..." he edged the professor on. "But you're still falling behind in Calculus." Lance sighed. "Great. What do I do?" The teachers face lit up. "I know a great tutor for you."


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance meets his tutor!

Lance edged around the library uncomfortably. He had been set up with his tutor for today, and he wasn't really looking forward to it. He popped a hard candy into his mouth, its shell clicking against his teeth. His fingers pulled a random book from the shelf in front of him and he scanned the pages, procrastinating. Then, with a sigh, Lance put it back and turned towards the tables.   
He dragged his chair out with an exaggerated groan, catching the attention of the boy across from him. "Lance, right? I'm Keith." He stuck his hand out, not smiling. Lance eyes him warily as he shook it, noting his mullet and deep purple eyes. "Keith, huh? So, you're my tutor?"  
"Mmhmm." Keith casually slid a bookmark between the pages of his book and set it down next to him. "So you're having trouble with calculus? Do you mind telling me, like, your level? Where you are, you know?" He pushed his bangs back, but they flopped back into his face. Lance sighed, shifting in his chair. "I, uh."   
"That's fine. Your teacher updated me on your progress with a few tests." He pulled a binder from his bag and slid it over to Lance. "We'll be meeting from 3:45 to 5:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, okay? See you tomorrow." He stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder, locking eyes with Lance. "Okay then, teacher. See you, I guess?" Lance grinned and Keith nodded and left without another word. "This'll be fun." Lance muttered to himself, watching his new tutor push the doors open and leave.

"Okay!" Keith started, swinging his bag onto the chair across from his new student, who was fidgeting already. He had a pencil in his hand and a finger twirling a lock of his short, wavy hair. "Where do we start?" Lance looked up with a smirk. Keith reached across the table and flipped his binder open for him, then tapped the page. "Do these problems- when you're done, tell me. If you have trouble, skip it and I'll go over it with you after." He opened his book, leaning back and sliding the bookmark out.   
"What are you reading?" Lances voice piped up 10 minutes later, and Keith jumped as he broke the silence. Keith closed the book. "City of Fallen Angels. Are you done?"   
"Yep. Isn't that, like, about those demons and the people who fight them?"  
"Yes, and vampires, and werewolves, and faeries. Now focus."  
"Okay, okay. Real twilight stuff."  
"It's nothing like twilight!" Keith protested. "Read a page, you'll see." He slid it over to Lance, who opened it at random.   
"'You promise.' 'I swear on the angel. To hell with that, I swear on us.'" Lances voice took on a girlish, whimsy tone. "'Why us?' 'Because there's nothing that I believe in more.' Wow, mullet, didn't take you for the love story type."  
Keith's face reddened, flustered. "It's not a love story!" He sputtered. "It's about people who train to kill demons, and war!"   
"Mhm." Lance looked skeptical. "Anyway, aren't you supposed to be tutoring me?"   
"Right." Keith sighed. "How much could you do?"

"Yep! And that's it for today, I will see you.." Keith thought for a moment. "...next week."   
"Gonna miss me, mullet?" Lance winked, and Keith snorted. "Sure."   
"See you next week." Lance left, easily picking up his heavy bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Keith watched him go, chuckling quietly. This year would be interesting.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get to know each other?

Keith pushed his earbud into his ear, turning up the volume. Lance was late- again.   
Not a moment later, the lanky boy sloppily ran up the the table, shoving his bag from his shoulders and collapsing in the seat. "Sorry," He huffed. "Had- had to go- to my sisters- piano- piano recital." He ended with a weak smile, and Keith couldn't help but conceal a smile himself. "No worries for now. But try not to be late next time." His mouth twitched. "She's really good, too." Lance noted, flipping open his binder. "Better than everyone else in our family. I used to play, but I sucked at it. I'd rather play guitar. Actually, a lot of us tried playing. But she was the only one to actually excel in it, I guess." He shrugged, tapping his lip with the edge of his pencil. The black haired boy looked up, trying to be stern. "Lance, focus." He made a face. "If you don't want to hear me talk, why don't you wear headphones?" Keith lifted his hair. "I am."  
"No you're not. You're wearing earbuds. Wearing earbuds suggest that you are wide open to conversation, but headphones mean you want to keep to yourself. See?" He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a pair of pale blue beats. "You can wear mine if you want." Keith looked at the headphones thoughtfully. Though he wouldn't admit it, he liked Lances rambling. "No, I'm okay. Thanks."   
Lance grinned. "I knew you liked my talking."  
"Shut up."  
Keith turned his music down a bit, pulling his book out. "That same book?"  
"Nope."  
"You lost interest? Finally realized it was a love story?"  
"Nope. Finished it. Onto the next." Lance whistled. "Damn. Fast."   
"I like reading." Keith said plainly.  
"What I don't get is how you can sit for hours and just read. For fun. Like, don't you get fidgety? Bored?"  
"Nope. You're doing the same thing right now. Sitting still."  
"Yeah, but I'm doing assigned work. That's different."  
"Not really." Keith's eyes flicked up to see his student sigh and glance back down.

A little hard candy rolled around in his mouth as Lance ran his tongue across his teeth. Keith raised an eyebrow. "Lifesaver?" The dark haired boy accepted the offer with a ghost of a smile, his slim, pale fingers plucking a red one out of the pack and popping it into his own mouth. "Back to work, McClain." He grinned. Lance chuckled and continued hurriedly scribbling answers onto the page. He stretched his hand out, flexing his long, sore fingers. "Keiithhh," he whined. "Help meeee."  
Normally, Keith would've rolled his eyes and kept reading, but since Lance was, after all, his student, he had to put his book down and lean across the table, reading over Lances work.

Lance couldn't help but watch as the black haired boy came forward, his hair falling down and one shoulder of his baggy shirt slipping lower.   
"You're good," Keith remarked. "But you do need practice. You're getting the right formulas, but the answers are wrong, see? If you substitute this here then the negative is cancelled, which makes a chain reaction..." Keith kept explaining, but Lance zoned out. He thought about his family and friends, and how much he loved them, and how it would be cool to regard Keith as a friend. "Wanna get ice cream?" He interrupted Keith abruptly. His tutor looked up, obviously surprised.   
"We're in the middle of a session."  
"We can finish there." Lance pleaded, the blue in his eyes shining.  
"Fine." Keith huffed. "But only if you focus then."   
"Yes sir!" Lance slid out of his chair, watching with joy as Keith did the same.

"Mint chocolate chip?" Lance shook his head.  
"Guess again." Keith scanned the flavors. "Mm.. uh.. moose tracks?"  
"Nooo!"  
"Strawberry then."  
"You're so bad at this. I can guess yours in a minute."  
"Prove it." Keith crossed his arms, leaning on one leg. "Chocolate." Keith's expression went from one of surprise to one of pure betrayal. "What the heck..?"   
"Am I right?" Lance prodded him with a finger. "Yeah. What- how did you guess?" Lance grinned again, shrugging. "I read people well. I live with a big family, it's kinda a necessity." He chuckled, and we ordered. As the lady behind the counter handed us our cones, I turned to him. "Big family? Tell me about them." We sat down at a table. "Ok. So. There's my older brother, Alejandro, my older sisters, Sophie and Alexi, my younger brother Jay, the twins- Briana and Park, and the baby, Anise. And me and my parents, of course." Lances eyes shone.  
Keith chuckled, eyes wide. "Wow. You weren't kidding when you said big."  
"No sir, I meant it." Lance laughed too, then ducked his head to lick some ice cream dripping from his cone. "I couldn't imagine living with so many people," Keith chuckled. "It's just me at my home."  
"Yeah? How old are you?" Lance leaned his head on a hand.  
"19 in October."  
"Ah. I'm 18, but I have to stay home because Ma works and someone has to pick up the rest of my siblings and take care of them till she gets home." Keith nodded thoughtfully. "Impressive. You do all that? What about your older siblings?"  
"Alejandro moved out with his fiancé last month, and Alexi and Sophie go to college and sometimes night jobs." Lance finished the sentence then eyed his melting ice cream. He licked the outside, then crunched down on the cone. "Oh." After a long pause, Keith spoke again. "So, you've gotta focus now. Back to work."  
Lance nodded, remembering the deal he made with his new friend. "Right. Let's finish this." He dramatically cracked his knuckles and twirled his pencil in his hand.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the oh boy.

For some reason, Lance was kind of looking forward to his session with Keith today. He pushed a pack of lifesavers into his bag and zipped it up, then slunk down the hall towards the library. A chuckle sounded behind him. "Hey, idiot. Off to your tutoring session?" Lance whipped around to face the two people he hated most. Rolo and Nyma. They looked okay at first- Rolo was the popular bad boy and Nyma was his cheerleader sister. But together, they made his school life a living hell. "Yeah. I am." He turned back around and started walking away, but Rolos hand grabbed the back of his collar. "But Lance!! You can't go without your homework!" He jerked the skinny boy back, his backpack toppling from his shoulder. Lance twisted, trying to get out of his grasp- he had been in this situation all too many times. "Not so fast, McLame." Nyma attacked from behind, pushing him into the wall and pinning him there. Rolos fists flew forward in slow motion. Lance tilted his face as far from it as possible, but the hit only reached his shoulder. Nyma dropped him to the floor, her tall heel colliding with his stomach. He let out a grunt of pain, despite having been holding his breath. With the next kick, he felt his ankle bend in a completely new direction, letting out a sharp crack and a pop. Nyma winced at the harsh noise, then started to laugh. Lance squeezed his eyes shut. Another grunt, that was to his chest. Then one more to his jaw. He pursed his lips so he wouldn't scream. 

"You're fine." Rolo snarled, flicking him over with the toe of his boot. With that, he walked away, Nyma on his heel. Lance grimaced, trying hard not to breath and cause pain to his ribs. He lay for a minute more on the tiled floor, his vision swimming, before straightening out and standing up. Leaning against the wall, he let out a wet splutter of a cough into his hand, then fumbled for a napkin as he realized it was blood. One more cough into the tissue, which he crumpled up and kept pressed against his palm, then he limped the rest of the way to the library. "Man up, Lance. You're fine." He muttered to himself, furrowing his brows. 

Kieth watched the automatic doors as they opened and closed. He wasn't usually this late. He frowned, tapping his foot. After a few minutes more, the doors opened to reveal the familiar tanned face of his pupil- a smile had obviously been forced onto his face, but Kieth didn't push it. "Hey. What kept you up?"

"Ah- nothing important. Sorry to keep you waiting." Keith waved it off with a flick of his wrist, noting how Lance approached him with a slight limp. "It's fine, what happened to your leg?"

"I tripped on the way. I'm fine." Lance smiled again, then his hand shot up to his jaw. A grimace threw the smile off his face. "Lance." Keith warned. "Come on, you can tell me." The black haired boy leaned against the table to make himself seem more approachable. "Really, Keith, I'm fine. I just fell out there, promise. Now can we drop it?"

"You're limping, it must be pretty bad. Can I check it out?"

"No! Uh- no. I'm honestly fine, Keith. Let's just get to work." 

When Lance left that day, he didn't even say goodbye. 

Keith burrowed his head in his hands. He lay on his bed, face down, trying to make something of that evenings events. What was wrong with Lance? His head pounded. All around him, the darkness seemed to close in, and the bright white of his clock blared into his eyes. It was 2:05- he needed a drink. Padding down the hall to the kitchen, thoughts buzzed around Keith mind. Lance was limping, scowling, he didn't make any jokes. Just sat down and got straight to work. That was so strange, but the weirdest thing was that he had dirt all over his shirt. Keith knew that he said he had fallen in the hall, but the floors had just been waxed- there shouldn't have been any dirt, unless Lance was just really dirty, but Keith had never known him to be like that- he was a true fashionista. "Ugh." He mumbled, filling a glass with water and trudging back to his bed. Netflix played on his computer softly, and he absentmindedly stared at the screen, occasionally taking sips from his glass. He looked like he was watching, but his mind was reeling with something else. Before he knew it, the sun peeked over the bottom of his windows and the blinding clock screamed its alarm. Keith sighed. It was going to be a long day.


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The problems are becoming clearer...

Lance rubbed his jaw, groaning. He sat up groggily from his bed, tuning in and out of the noises of his siblings downstairs as his covers. He winced, almost unable to move after what had happened yesterday. His stomach burned just sitting up and one of his ribs flashed with pain as he stood, rubbing his head with sleep. His reflection squinted at him as he trudged across the hall in his blue shorts and only seemed to scowl harder when he caught sight of himself. The bruise on his face was worse than he expected- it covered most of his cheek now. It was a good thing that he had a routine- maybe it could cover how ugly he felt. Shaking out of his disgusted gaze and splashing water on his face, Lance blinked and pursed his lips. Another day. Just put on a smile. He splashed warm water onto his face, scrubbing it with face wash and then cleaning off again. The shower knob creaked as he turned it, then pushed off this shorts and stepped inside, flinching as the hot water ran over a cut he hadn't noticed just above his hip. I'll tend to it later. He let the water run through his hair

45 minutes later, he was dressed and stepping out the door. "Lance, mijo!! You forgot breakfast!" His ma called after him, setting his little sister down on the chair and handing a lunch box to his brother. She had her hands full. "It's ok, mama. I'm not.. hungry."  
"But-"   
"See you tonight!" Lance closed the door before his mama could say anything more. He knew she knew he hadn't been eating much lately, all he did to keep himself from starving was drink water and eat those silly lifesavers. He always told her he would eat at school, be he never did, for fear of being even sicker when he came across Nyma and Rolo. He still limped from the day before.   
School itself was a nightmare. Classes and work. He only had one class with a friend today, tech with Pidge. When the lunch bell rang, he slipped a hard candy from his pocket and popped it in his mouth, then went outside to avoid the crowd. Leaning against the brick walls of the school, Lance could only imagine what it would be like to be normal. He thought of going to lunch with his friends and not being picked on, having valid ideas, passing classes. What was wrong with him? As if voicing his thoughts, someone spoke. "What's wrong?"  
Lance didn't even look up. "Nothing. Just needed some fresh air." He stood, supporting his weak leg by leaning on the wall. "Lance. What's wrong?" A hand grabbed his, forcing him to turn around. Lances eyes met purple ones, their owner none other than... "Keith. Oh."  
"You aren't fooling me, Lance, I know somethings up. Something was up yesterday, and somethings up today. So tell me what's going on." Concern flashed in his eyes. Lance laughed. "Nothings wrong, Keith. Come on. Like I said, I just wanted to get some fresh air before classes start up again." He took another step away, pulling his arm from Keith's grasp and resting his hurt leg behind him. "You're still limping. Didn't get it checked?"  
"I'm not! Limping, I mean. I can walk fine. See?" To prove his point, Lance walked in a circle with a smile on his face, putting equal pressure on both legs. It burned up his ankle and his calf, but he couldn't let the pain show. Even still, Keith was still wary. He flicked his boot out and knocked Lances ankle unexpectedly, causing Lance to fall to one knee and grab his bad leg with an "Ah! What the hell, Keith?"   
"I didn't kick you that hard. Let me see." Lance shuffled away as Keith reached forward. His touch was icy cold, but it seemed to warm at the Cuban boy's skin. The ankle was purple and swollen, and Lance sucked his breath in when it bent. Keith inhaled sharply. "I can't believe you. Idiot. You walked on this?! You're so stupid, you need to take care of yourself! He helped Lance up and let him sling an arm around him for support. I can't do this. What if they see us? They'll hurt him. They'll hurt Keith and it'll be my fault. Lances mind raced. He quickly retracted his arm and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks Keith, but I'm fine, really. It'll heal."  
"Not if you keep walking on it." Keith frowned. "Then I'll limp. But I don't need your help." Lance realized how harsh that sounded, and by the way Keith had taken a step back, Keith did too. "Sorry. Sorry. I just meant.. I'll be fine." Lance slunk away before he could see the hurt in Keith's eyes again.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secrets are spilling.

Keith groaned. What was up with this guy? He watched as Lance straightened up and grimaced, walking away. He was gonna kill himself that way, Keith knew. He wasn't going to let him hurt himself anymore.

Lance turned the corner of the school and slid down, clutching his hurt leg and hissing.   
"Who was that, then?" A familiar voice made him glance up, then groan even louder. "Listen, guys. Can you maybe lay off for a day? Unless you want it to show all over me and get you in trouble too." Nyma pouted. "No fun." Rolo leaned on her and smiled. "That's ok, Ny. We'll have our fun, don't worry. But let's help Lance for now." Seriously? Lance squinted. "No. Stay away from me-" He tried to get up but slipped back down. "Need a hand?"   
"No! Just- just go away." He couldn't get up. Rolo leaned down, offering a hand as Lance looked up. Was he... serious? His face looked serious enough. Hesitantly, he took it, and Rolo pulled him up, and propped him against the wall. "Ok, Nyma. Now you can go ahead." Oh no. Lance looked for an escape- they were blocking it. He knew it. He knew it was a trap.   
"Ooh!" She slipped her headband off her head and wrapped it around his face, blocking his mouth. Lance jerked his head every which way, but it was no use. Before he could reach up and take it off, Nyma smashed her heel into his already injured leg. Then she did it again. Lance could feel the pain shoot up and a crack. He screamed, but it was muffled by the cloth. A couple more hits to the gut with Rolo's fist and some more cracks, and they were gone, laughing. He heard footsteps, very faintly, then saw a blurry figure as his legs collapsed from under him. "Lance? Lance!"   
Keith scooped up the brown haired boy and ran up the hall, looking for help. "Lets get you to an ambulance." He muttered. "N-no." Lance said weakly. "Can't go. Family w- worried." He ? breathed heavily, then clutched his stomach. "What happened?!" Keith shook him a little. "Nothing. Tripped?" Lance offered. "Tripped, my ass. Tell me." Lance shook his head. "Why?"   
"You'll get hurt.." Lance tried to sit but screamed in pain. Keith shook the confusion from his eyes and frowned, running to the office. "That's it. We're getting you help, I don't care what you say." He put Lance down on the chair and pounded his hand on the desk. The secretary looked up, a mildly annoyed expression on her face. "Call an ambulance, for god's sake!" She glanced behind him and nodded with a start at the sight of a broken boy sprawled across the chairs. Minutes later, sirens were heard outside. Keith ran back and picked him up again. "C'mon, c'mon." He whispered, pushing the front door open and almost bumping right into an officer. "Put him on the stretcher." He was ordered, so he did, then climbed into the back with Lance, grabbing his hand. "Hey. You're good, right? You're okay." Lance shook his head. "You're an idiot, Kogane." Then he slumped back, one arm still draped over his stomach, his hand a fist from clenching in pain. Keith grumbled for the rest of the short ride to the hospital, but didn't let go of Lance's hand. "When you get better McClain, I swear to god I'm getting an explanation out of you."

They had arrived. Lance was wheeled out and into the hospital. Keith was forced to sit in a waiting room, but he waited nonetheless. It was 2:03 pm. He shifted positions maybe four times in the first half hour, impatiently moving around. He drank two cups of coffee, checked the time 6 times, unlocked his phone and relocked it again, and eventually took to pacing around the waiting room. After what seemed like forever, a nurse came in. "Sir? Your friend's awake. Would you like to see him-"  
"Yes."   
"Right this way, then. He's in room 728." Keith walked on her heels as she led him to Lance's room, but paused when he made it to the door. Maybe Lance didn't want to see him. He didn't want to seem to eager. He let her go in first. "Mr. McClain? You have a visitor." She left, and Keith took a breath. Though he had planned to be casual, his feet jumped and he ran in, taking a seat next to the bed. "Lance? You okay?"   
"K- Keith!" Lance chuckled happily. "I'm glad you're here." Keith sighed in relief. He was okay. "Hey, what happened? Can you tell me what the doctor said?"   
"Some of my ribs are broken. My leg is shattered. Hasn't it been a great day?" He rolled his eyes, then winced. "But I told you not to bring me in! How am I supposed to get to school now? My family's gonna ask questions if I go in a wheel chair-"  
"Your only option," Keith interrupted, "And the best way to get you better. You're not getting hurt like this again. Not on my watch."   
Lance sighed. There was no getting out of this.   
"So tell me what happened."

"Okay."


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's story... and a little twist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's so short!

"These guys, they've been on my tail since 5th grade. It all started at some stupid science fair project- they won and I lost, and I guess they decided that that made them good enough to pick on me."  
"And may I ask, what it was they did?"  
"I don't know. Some stupid volcano or something. Literally the most typical thing." Keith scoffed. "Anyway. They did some dumb stuff first- tripping me in the hallways, calling out things like, 'Lance got an F in math!'. I didn't let it bother me, though, because I mean, wouldn't they just get bored and leave me alone? Anyway, they kept at it, started pushing me around. Shove against the lockers on Monday, Tuesday it was a throw to the ground, and by Wednesday it was a punch in the gut. I started failing classes because they would hurt me so much, but it was never enough to show. I don't know how I made it through high school, really."  
"What about your family?"  
"Yeah- so when they started questioning me because of my grades, I would just apologize and work even harder. I didn't want to worry them at all, because I mean, big family right, I didn't want to be extra work for them with so much to do already. " Lance tried to sit, but winced and lay back down. "So I just took it all. I didn't want them to hurt anyone else because of me, so I stopped hanging out with almost all my friends. And see, now their going to come after you." He looked the other way. "That's BS. If they come after me, they're dead." Lance snorted, still not looking at him. "And if they come after you again, I'll knock them into next year." Lance looked back at him, clutching his stomach. Keith's expression hardened at Lance's condition, then softened again when he saw his face. Lance was smiling softly. "Why're you smiling?"  
"I mean, I got something out of it, right?" He chuckled softly. "What?"   
"I don't know. Better grades. A new friend. I want to shrug, but I feel like my guts will come spilling out." Keith frowned. "I'm going to kill them."   
"Don't bother."  
"Why?"  
"It's not worth the trouble. They'll just come back stronger then ever, right?" Keith shot up.  
"No! Do you not see yourself? This is a new level- you can't even walk!"  
"But, I mean, I will with time. Just, don't hurt yourself, okay? Don't do anything stupid."  
"Right." He sat back down and sighed. "Sorry. Hey, It's almost 6. You rest up, I'll be back tomorrow, okay? To take you back."  
"Okay.""These guys, they've been on my tail since 5th grade. It all started at some stupid science fair project- they won and I lost, and I guess they decided that that made them good enough to pick on me."  
"And may I ask, what it was they did?"  
"I don't know. Some stupid volcano or something. Literally the most typical thing." Keith scoffed. "Anyway. They did some dumb stuff first- tripping me in the hallways, calling out things like, 'Lance got an F in math!'. I didn't let it bother me, though, because I mean, wouldn't they just get bored and leave me alone? Anyway, they kept at it, started pushing me around. Shove against the lockers on Monday, Tuesday it was a throw to the ground, and by Wednesday it was a punch in the gut. I started failing classes because they would hurt me so much, but it was never enough to show. I don't know how I made it through high school, really."  
"What about your family?"  
"Yeah- so when they started questioning me because of my grades, I would just apologize and work even harder. I didn't want to worry them at all, because I mean, big family right, I didn't want to be extra work for them with so much to do already. " Lance tried to sit, but winced and lay back down. "So I just took it all. I didn't want them to hurt anyone else because of me, so I stopped hanging out with almost all my friends. And see, now their going to come after you." He looked the other way. "That's BS. If they come after me, they're dead." Lance snorted, still not looking at him. "And if they come after you again, I'll knock them into next year." Lance looked back at him, clutching his stomach. Keith's expression hardened at Lance's condition, then softened again when he saw his face. Lance was smiling softly. "Why're you smiling?"  
"I mean, I got something out of it, right?" He chuckled softly. "What?"   
"I don't know. Better grades. A new friend. I want to shrug, but I feel like my guts will come spilling out." Keith frowned. "I'm going to kill them."   
"Don't bother."  
"Why?"  
"It's not worth the trouble. They'll just come back stronger then ever, right?" Keith shot up.  
"No! Do you not see yourself? This is a new level- you can't even walk!"  
"But, I mean, I will with time. Just, don't hurt yourself, okay? Don't do anything stupid."  
"Right." He sat back down and sighed. "Sorry. Hey, It's almost 6. You rest up, I'll be back tomorrow, okay? To take you back."  
"Okay." Lance's eyes dropped, and Keith sighed again, pausing. "Listen, Lance. If you really want, you with me until you're better. So your family doesn't worry."  
"Really?" Lance looked up, grateful tears in his eyes. "Thank you." It came out as a whisper, and Keith could see how much his offer meant to him. "Hey." Lance looked at him. "Lifesaver?" Keith pulled his pack from his pocket and offered one to Lance. "Yeah. Thanks." He took a blue one and smiled.


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!  
> Klance perhaps building up a relationship? 
> 
>  
> 
> NAH. Not yet. lol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys so this is a cute chapter so I will try to not let the other ones bring it down, brace yourself for a few chapters of pure klance,, yay,,

"Ke-e-e-ith!" Lance yelped as Keith speed rolled him out of his hospital room, practically running to check him out of the hospital. "If you don't remember- woaah-" They turned the corner- "I am injur-e-ed!"   
"Oh, I remember!" Keith skid to a halt, grabbing the chair and slowing it down in front of reception. "I'm here to check out Lance McClain."  
"Right." The lady behind the desk was the same one, Keith noticed, who showed him to Lance's room. She eyed them both, then grinned, flipping through her papers. "Sign here." She turned to Lance. "Boy, are you lucky to have a friend like this one. Practically worried to death here yesterday waiting for you. You should have seen him pacing, woo! You don't see many teenage boys get so emotional anymore." She winked, and Lance grinned back. "You were worried, Mullet?"   
"Yeah, worried I wouldn't get my pay for tutoring you if you were stuck here, McClain." Keith finished initialing the papers and smiled at the lady. "Thank you." Then he spun the wheelchair and pushed his friend out the door. "What are we going to tell the people at school?" Lance pondered, leaning his head on his arm. "Why not the truth, and get those bastards expelled?" Keith replied snarkily. "No! I don't want to involve them. Plus, there isn't much left to do to me now that I'm in a wheelchair, right?"   
"They could push you down a hill."  
"Yikes." Lance winced. "Thanks, Keith."  
"That's what I'm here for." Keith rolled him up to his car, helping him into the passengers seat and folding the chair inside the trunk. "Let's go home, yeah?"  
"Okay. I called my mom and told her that I was going to stay at a friends for a while, and she got Alexi to get a break and take care of the kids." Lance glanced back at Keith, who nodded, his eyes on the road. "Good." After a minute, Lance started humming, tapping his fingers on the arm of the seat. "Don't you ever stay quiet?" Keith shot playfully at him. Lance shook his head confidently. "Quiet makes me uneasy. All the worst things happen in quiet. Plus, I hate it. My family is super loud, we rarely have any quiet. It's crazy, but it's home." Keith pondered this. "I rarely get any noise at home. I wouldn't know how to react if I was around so many people, honestly. I would be super awkward. Anyway, we're here. Cmon, let's get you out." Keith parked the car in front of a small, white house, the roof drooping almost to the ground in the back. "How do you live alone?" Lance asked as he forced his chair up the stairs and through the door, Keith behind him. "I've never lived with anyone before. I don't know how else to live."   
"Never?"  
"Except my dad, who left when I was two, no."  
"Wow." The inside of the house was nice, not cold at all, but small. Keith had a living room with a comfortable couch and a TV, and a small kitchen with a round table. He had a single bathroom and two bedrooms, one his and one for a guest. The colors were warming, which Lance loved. Almost no greys and whites, but more reds and oranges decorated the walls and shelves. "This is my room." Keith kicked open the door and rolled Lance in. The bed was plain black, but the wall behind it was coated in sketches, colored drawings, and paintings. The ceiling was dotted with glow in the dark stars, which was cute, and he had a small table with a record player on it, and a stack of records. On the other side was a desk and a bookshelf, covering almost the whole wall and filled to the brim with books. Lanced gaped. "You read all those?" Keith scoffed. "Of course not." He picked up a small book on the top. "I just got this one. I haven't had a chance to read it yet." Lance let out a breath, still in awe of the shelf, and blinked. "Uh- nice room." He wheeled over to the records and read the first one while Keith sat on his bed. "HA! I knew it!"  
"What?" The blue eyed boy picked up a record and waved it in the air. "MCR." He snorted.   
"Shut up. They're good!" Keith protested. "What, d'you cry when they broke up?" The other boy teased. "Well... ugh!" Keith flashed his deep purple eyes at Lance and put the record back on the stack, trying not to laugh. Lance smirked and wheeled out of the room. "So, mullet, care to show me where I'll be staying?" Keith's face reddened and he followed Lance out to show him his room. The door across the hall swung open, and Lance blinked. "Well, you really prepared, didn't you?"

The room was filled. Posters hung on pale blue walls over his crisp, white bed. There was a bookshelf in this room, too, but this one was covered in CDs and had a cd player and a speaker. A colorful, soft rug spread across the floor, and a few paintings decorated the wall opposite the bed. Picture frames finished the room nicely. Keith shifted. "I didn't know what you liked."


	9. 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance goes to town! Meets a friend! Yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok guys I promise I will update more regularly sorry schools really getting tough

"This is so cool! Almost like my room at home. How did you know?" Lance excitedly rushed into the room, pushing himself in with one strong shove to his wheels. Picking up a picture frame, he smiled. There was a picture inside of his friend Pidge, and one more of her on his back. "Where did you get these?"  
"I asked Pidge. It's not so hard. I figured you'd be coming, and I didn't want you to be uncomfortable." At this, Lance tilted his head so far up he was looking at Keith upside down. "Aw, Mullet. You do care."  
"No way, idiot. I dragged you to the hospital, then I took you home and made you a room here because I don't care about you at all." He rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. Lance quickly followed. "So what now?"  
"I don't know, um. I guess I can take you to town, show you around. It'd be easier, of course, to wait until you could walk, but-"  
"No way! Let's go!" Lance rolled to the door and opened it, then almost toppled down a set of stairs. Hanging halfway over the first one in surprise, he glanced behind him to see Keith, holding his chair with one hand and the other in his pocket. "Hey. I had it under control." Keith sighed, the shrugged. "Whatever you say." He carefully lifted the chair down the stairs and set it down. "Come on. It's only a short walk from here. I'll push you."  
"Nuh uh. I can do it myself thanks." The two boys started down the road, Keith kicking a small rock and Lance humming again, but quietly. His arms almost mechanically turned the wheels of his chair, and he kept pushing, even when it was obvious on his face that every movement was hurting his ribs more and more. Eventually, Keith caught on. He glanced at his student and bit his lip, pulling his gloves further up his wrists and taking the handles of the chair. "Let me push you." Lance turned to look at him. "Hey! I can do it!" he complained, swatting Keiths hand away with a grimace. "No, Lance. Let me push you, please. Just sit back." Keith took Lances hand and guided it back down onto his lap. Unsure of what to say, Lance let him. He opened his mouth to speak, but looking at Keith calmly pushing the chair down the street, his hair rustling in the breeze and his eyes flickering from place to place, nothing came out. He sat back, as Keith had asked, and trained his eyes on a tree across the street. "Uh, so this is it." Lance looked up. "Woah." He remarked, impressed. "Yeah, it's pretty cool. That's the bookstore." Keith smiled fondly. "And that's the cafe. I go there a lot. That over there is the music store-"  
"Music store?"  
"Yeah. Next to that is the art supplies shop and that there's a pizza place. Down the street a little is the grocery store and the furniture store. You can't see them from here. On that side is the sports store, and that's the pharmacy. If you- um. Yeah. That's it. So, where do you want to go first?"  
"I don't know. Show me your favorite place. Keith grinned and shoved the chair forward. "Cafe it is."  
"Hi, Keith!" A pretty girl with white hair in a ponytail and light pink tattoo under her eye stood up from her table at the cafe and walked over. "Haven't seen you here for a few days. What's been happening?" She smiled cheerily. Keith grinned back. "Oh, same as usual. School, tutoring, so on. Oh, and this is Lance."  
"Lance. Nice to meet you. I'm Allura. How do you two know each other?" Lance glanced up at Keith and rolled his eyes. "Well, Keith's my tutor. He helps me with Calculus, though we haven't made much progress."  
"That's because your annoying ass got stuck in the hospital." Kieth countered. Lance made a face. "Hey. For the record, my ass is great."  
"I can tell you're pretty close, which is funny because Keith doesn't usually make friends that fast." Allura teased. "Close? Us?" Keith let out a laugh, and Lance followed. "No. He's just staying at my house for now. I was just showing him around, that's all. And what about you guys? How long have you known Keith?" The black haired boy snickered. "Well, we met in freshman year of high school. Allura was having a little.. boy trouble."  
"They were chasing me! Whistling and all. And then Keith, being the extra weirdo he is, jumped out of a tree in front of me. He landed on his feet, too, which was cool. And then he knocked one of them over with one kick and the others fled. It was hilarious." Allura finished. Lance raised an eyebrow.  
"I didn't know you could fight, Mullet."  
"You're looking at 14 years of tae kwon do, though you would never guess." The girl commented. "Do you do anything, Lance?" The trio went back to Allura's table and Keith pulled over a chair, sitting down. "Well ... No." Lance decided. He didn't exactly want to share everything with the gorgeous person in front of him just yet, or with Keith. He looked at his fingers, which were laced around each other, still on his lap. "I'm pretty busy with my family, I don't really have the time." He glanced up, locking eyes with Keith first, then with Allura. "Yeah, gosh, Lance has such a big family." Keith could tell something was off, but he backed Lance up anyway. "That's pretty cool, Lance." Allura grinned. "Well, you guys should probably head out if you want to hit the rest of the town before the sun sets."  
"Good idea." Keith stood and took the handles of the chair again. "See you, Allura." She waved as they went back outside. "So, where next?"


End file.
